Where did your name come from? Is there a story behind your name? Are you named after a family member? Or is your name a name that your parents thought was a good fit? I remember the excitement in naming my 3 children.
My first born was a boy and we had many names picked out. One day when I was about 4 months pregnant and getting my hair done, a mother walked in the salon with her adorable baby boy. His name was Jackson and I knew from that moment I would name my boy the same name. We did choose his middle name to be a family name, the same as his Dads. Then the same with my 2 girls that followed. I chose their first names Emmerson and Carson because I wanted to follow with the “son” endings. We also used family names for their middle names. Emmerson is June after my husband’s grandma and Carson is Caroline after both of my grandmothers. Their middle names are emotionally connected for both my husband and I.
I wonder if Mary thought of baby names when she was pregnant with Jesus? I imagine she did, but that had to be a huge burden to name the child she was carrying. Maybe she and Joseph had a list of names? If they had their own ideas, they would be thrown out after the angel appeared to Mary.
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:21
Why did the angel tell Mary and Joseph to name the baby “Jesus”? Is there some significance to the name Jesus? No, these letters and sounds are different in every language that the name is translated. It is a fairly common Jewish name and is still used today.
Jesus’ name means Yahweh saves. It is the same name as Joshua in the Old Testament. The name of Jesus is significant because of who it represents. It means “God our Savior.” Jesus Christ is Immanuel, “God with us”.
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
Matthew 1:22&23
Jesus came to earth as a man in order to die in our place and become our Savior. This is why the angel said, “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
The name of Jesus reminds us about the amazing humility of the Son of God when he came as a man to die. As his followers, we must also strive to show the same selfless humility that Jesus demonstrated while on earth.
Jesus’ name is to be glorified far above every other name.
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:9-11
Praise the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, our awesome Savior!